This session will highlight recent advances in understanding for chronic pain management that influence procedural outcomes. The session will define the influence of opioids on surgical outcomes and methods to mitigate the negative effects. Contrast hypersensitivity reactions will be explored and best practices will be defined. Recent concerns regarding gadolinium-based contrast agents including brain deposition and acute neurotoxicity will be characterized. Furthermore, the significant concerns surrounding gadolinium use as an alternative contrast agent in individuals with iodinated contrast hypersensitivity reactions will be explored. The future of interventional headache care will be explored. The session will also analyze the current research on analgesic pharmacological and interventional therapies and their impact on cancer disease progression and recurrence.

Most patients who have spinal cord stimulators (SCS) implanted for chronic pain have long standing and complex pain concerns. In addition to the index pain being targeted for SCS, often there are psychological co-morbidities, physical deconditioning, ongoing opioid pain medication use, and secondary pain problems. In order to truly optimize the desired outcomes for these patients, each of these areas need to be addressed. This session will focus on the latest medical, behavioral, and regenerative medicine approaches to help optimize neuromodulation outcomes.